James Drogan

Re Conversations with Dave 

I think I was being too subtle (oops!) with ‘Why does “Interestingly and ironically it's still quite accurate, XML hasn't replaced EDI and levels of implementation and penetration are still very low not to mention building on the simple infrastructural foundation to actually change and improve the business process.” continue to be true?’

Let me be direct.  You tend to be very critical of how organizations and individuals perform in the sense that their approach is not aligned with what you would do.  The implication is that if they would only listen to you and implement your recommendations, then substantial improvement in performance would be possible.  I can’t avoid this either.  Mary reminded me one time that it is called Baruch College, not Drogan College.

They are a point A and you are at point B.  A hypothesis for this gap (by the way, have you ever read Stephen Donaldson’s gap series?) is that they may have very good reasons for not going to B.  In points 6 and 7 of your note you speculate on some of the not-so-good reasons.  But suppose they have taken a good, hard look at point B using generally accepted tools and techniques, and have concluded they don’t see the value that you see.  What would then be the basis for continued criticism?

Why aren’t the investment bankers lined up at your door?  Why aren’t senior staff and faculty waiting for me every morning when I get into the office?  If you and I are so damn good, why aren’t we running things?

John Travolta, playing Michael in the movie “Michael,” says something to the effect that that “angels can’t change the world, they can only work small miracles.”  Maybe we should be content with the small victories.  Ah yes, the starfish.

“Matters of business sytem assesment and change management are left as an exercise for the student” if the student has been properly prepared.  That’s our task as experienced wanderers of the world.  And our task is to find a way to break through, to open the mind, to open the soul, to the possibilities.  At times, the onus is on us to change our ways if we expect others to change their ways.

I remind my students of these Principles of Communication.

1.    The grammar and syntax of the messages being exchanged are understood.

2.    The information communicated in the messages is relevant.

3.    The medium of communication is acceptable.

4.    There is a desire to communicate.

5.    There is confirmation of understanding.

The way I see communications is that it’s passive and active, it’s inbound and outbound, and one’s responsibility in communication does not end with pushing the send button.  My communication failures (e.g., 12 of 20 students in my on-line MIS class received Incompletes this term.  A first.) can usually be traced to my forgetting one these principles.

Perhaps we lack a good comprehension of the risk/reward/pressure structure in which key decision makers operate.  And it is this poor comprehension that causes us to rant and rave.  Perhaps the reasons we cite for lack of progress are only symptoms of something deeper.

This prompts me to call to your attention the front page article from yesterday’s WSJ, Inside Mulally's 'War Room': A Radical Overhaul of Ford.  You and I would applaud, I think, Mulally’s attitude and actions.  Where are the other Mullalys of the world?  What is higher education and, even more importantly, business doing to develop executives of this caliber?

Here’s a chart from one of my lecture notes.

I draw your attention to the last line, especially the last word.  You and I would, I think, agree that the battles in which we engage are mainly being fought at the level of culture.  Fascinating, frustrating and something that I’m not sure I’ve suitable experience to properly contend with.  But I keep at it.  And every once in awhile, voila, a small miracle.

Today’s coda comes from the Bible; “Physician, heal thyself.”